Tomljanovic takes down Muguruza in Indian Wells second round

On a jam-packed day of second-round action on the women’s side in Indian Wells, Ajla Tomljanovic ousted Garbine Muguruza following a roller-coaster three-setter.

Ajla Tomljanovic Cropped

Ricky Dimon

October 9, 2021

Garbine Muguruza is out of the BNP Paribas Open after just one match, as she lost to Ajla Tomljanovic 6-3, 1-6, 6-3 on Saturday afternoon. Tomljanovic recovered from a dismal second set to pull off the upset in one hour and 52 minutes.

The 28-year-old Aussie, who reached the Wimbledon quarter-finals before falling to eventual champion Ashleigh Barty, gave back a break early in the first set but added two more breaks later on to take control. However, Tomljanovic was broken at love to begin the second and went on to lose four games in a row. Muguruza eventually forced a decider by breaking at 5-1.

Just as Muguruza broke serve right away in the second, Tomljanovic did the same in the third. Similar to the opening set, the gave back an early break but rebounded to earn two more scalps of her opponent’s serve. The world No 47 capitalized on her first match point with Muguruza serving at 3-5, 30-40.

A really, really impressive display 👏

🇦🇺 @Ajlatom takes down No.5 seed Muguruza to reach Round 3!#BNPPO21 pic.twitter.com/jOcerIM5bo
— wta (@WTA) October 9, 2021

Tomljanovic will go up against Tamara Zidansek in the round of 32.

Muguruza is still in good shape to qualify for the WTA year-end championship in Guadalajara. The 28-year-old Spaniard moved up two spots to No. 6 in the race with a title last week in Chicago — where she defeated Ons Jabeur in the final.

Jabeur battles through opening match

Jabeur joined Tomljanovic and Zidansek in the third round by scraping past Anastasija Sevastova 6-2, 6-7(5), 6-3. The 27-year-old Tunisian is currently 9th place in the race to Guadalajara.

Zidansek off Ana Konjuh 6-4, 5-7, 6-3 in two hours and 13 minutes.